Woman sentenced to probation for luring man to his death in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN — An Ohio woman once charged with aggravated murder will avoid prison time after being sentenced on a reduced charge for luring a man to his death.

Antwanette Kennedy was sentenced Wednesday to a year of probation on an obstruction of justice charge for her role in the 2014 death of Maurise Kerns in Youngstown. The Vindicator reports she tearfully told the judge she had no choice but to lure Kerns to the vacant home where he was killed. Her attorney said she would have been killed otherwise.

Prosecutors say they agreed to the reduced charge because Kennedy was critical in the building the case against three men now in prison for killing.

Kerns’ mother said she understood the prosecutors’ stance but she could not accept Kennedy walking free.